The Boy I Knew

11. Beast Among Men

It was odd, feeling like you had everything you ever wanted only to be at risk of losing it. Again. With your horse dead and Miche knocked down and out, you came face to face with not one, but five titans. All of them staring right at you. Your adrenaline spiked, making the first thing you did was run to Miche to see how he was. He laid off to the side of the building which meant that you had left the cover you had from the building to see if you could save him. Realizing he was unconscious, you lifted your gaze to meet the brown-green eyes of a titan.

And yet the eyes weren't what bothered you the most.

Or the fur, or sharp and pointy ears, no.

It spoke. Directly to you, while making eye contact. Like it was human. Are they human?

"What is that gear he is using?" In shock, you stayed silent. He took a step toward you and crouched down, sitting on his heels, like he recognized his stature.

"Am I not speaking the same language? I could have sworn we speak the same language."

"We do." The words came off weak, but loud enough that he could hear you. He reached down and, in fear that he was going to take Miche from you, you brazenly stood between them. Stopping, he watched you.

"What do you plan on doing? You're unarmed." He sounded amused.

"I don't know, but you can't take him from me. I won't let you."

"I don't want him. I want the gear. It seems as though you have developed the ability to cut through our skin. And to attack at the nape." You didn't care about all of that. He continued his movement towards you and, using his index finger and thumb, picked up the gear. It must have broken in such a way because it came off his body without an issue. He held it in his palm for a moment, as you continued to stare and take in your current situation.

"You got your gear, now leave us in peace."

"I can't do that, darling." Your heart sank to your stomach. "You know about me and I can't let you leave."

"Then take me. He's unconscious and won't remember a thing. Leave him be to go back to his family." You didn't know if he actually had a family, it never came up. You just hoped that playing the sympathy card would get him home safe.

"Hmm." He hummed, his voice reverberated off of the walls around you. "I would be lying if I didn't say that I am intrigued by you. You have fight."

You didn't have fight, though. You were just standing your ground, in fear for yourself and Miche, who couldn't defend himself in his current state. He reached down and a hairy finger curled around your body. Surprisingly gentle. You allowed him to pick you up and glanced back down to Miche's body, laying on its stomach.

"Can you promise that he'll be okay?" Tears threatened to spill and there was no doubt that he felt your body shaking.

"Yes, yes. He will be fine." The other four titans that had their eyes locked on you began moving, but away from the house and into the trees on the edge of the property. "And in return, you'll give me what I want. Answer every question I have. And maybe then, I'll let you live." He stood and began walking. It pained you to leave him behind, but he still had his flares, so you hoped that he'd wake up soon and call for help. Connie's village couldn't be too far away, right? Quietly, you cried. Hoping that you would live to see Erwin again.

----

Waking up to a dark room, you had no clue when you passed out. From what you remember, you were still being carried by the titan. Light and voices emitted from a crack under the door, so you sat up quietly, hoping that you didn't alert them to you being awake. The window next to the cot you were laying on was boarded up and taking a closer look, you could see that it was the dead of night, meaning you had been out for half a day.